Fastener for bracelets adjustable in size



Jan. 30, 1934. R. EINSELE FAS TENER FOR BRACELETS ADJUSTABLE IN SIZE1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb 26 Jan. 30, 1934. R. ElNSELE 1,945,266

FASTENER FOR BRACELETS ADJUSTABLE IN SIZE Filed Feb. 26, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES FASTENER FORBRACELETS ADJUSTABLE IN SIZE I Robert Einsele, Pforzheim, GermanyApplication February 26, 1932, Serial No. 595,360, and in Germany June23, 1931 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a fastener for bracelets, watch bracelets andthe like which are adjustable in size.

According to the invention'the fastener consists of a closing elementmounted in a flat sleeve, resilient in the width on its front edge bentdown at right angles, undercut extensions provided on the side edges andpresser extensions provided on the longitudinal sides of the front edge.The

1 fastening element may be formed of a plate rendered resilient in thewidth by one or more incisions or of two levers spreadable in width byan interposed V-shaped spring. The presser extensions may extend throughapertures in the sides of the fiat sleeve or bear against the inner sidethereof. Moreover, only one presser extension may be provided. Such afastener is secured on one free end of the two superposed rear ends oftwo bracelet parts. Similar fastener parts may however be arranged onthe ends of both parts of the bracelet. In this instance the fastenerpart of the lower bracelet end is arranged between same and its endloop, and for this purpose a hinge is provided'on the front edge of thesleeve for connecting to the loop. In the case of smooth bracelets, aslot for attaching the fastener may be arranged on a slide fixable atany desired point on the bracelet.

One end of the downwardly bent front edge of .the fastener is insertedin a slot or a recess in the bracelet part situated below it or in theslide arranged on same, and, on pressure being exerted on the presserextension situated on the free side or on the corresponding side of theflat sleeve, this presser is pressed entirely into the ping extensionwould be suflicient. In the case of bracelets with only one fastenerfixed on the upper bracelet part, the fastening edge of this fastener,after folding over and adapting the bracelet parts united by an end loopon the lower bracelet end, is inserted in the slot or recess actuallylying below it. In the case of bracelets with two fastening elements thebracelet is adjusted tothe arm by pulling the upper bracelet partthrough the loop of the lower bracelet part, and the fastening elementof the inner. bracelet part is fixed in the recess or the slot in theupper bracelet part situated over its fastening edge and then, afterfolding over the upper bracelet part, its fastening an element is fixedin a similar manner on the lower bracelet part. In the case of abracelet with slide, this must first be adjusted to the requiredbracelet size, after which the fastener element is inserted in the slotof the slide in the manner described.

Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of examplein the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a watch braceletwith two fasten- 7 ers in top plan view.

Figs. 2.to 7 show in front elevation different forms of construction ofa fastener with outwardly directed catch extensions,

Fig. 2 with a resilient plate and two presser. extensions, I

Fig. 3 with two levers and a V-shaped spring,

a Fig. 4 with presser extensions arranged'within the sleeve,

Fig. 5 with only one presser extension projectso ing through the sleeve,

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a cross section on line 7---'? of Fig. 5. Figs, 8 to 10 show afastener with inwardly directed fastening notches,

Fig. 8 being a front elevation with the sleeve cut open..

Fig. 9 is a top plan view, the sleeve shown in longitudinal section.

Fig. 10 is a cross section on lines 1 010 of Fig. 8.

Figs. 11 to 16 show two fasteners for one bracelet, Figs. 11 to 13 witha fastener with outwardly directed fastening notches,

Fig. 11 being a top plan view partly in section,

Fig. 12 a top plan view and Fig. 13 across section on line 13-13 of Fig.12.

Figs. 14 to 16 showa fastener with inwardly directed fastening notches,

Fig. 14 being a top plan view partly in section,

Fig. 15 a top plan view and Fig. 16 a cross section on line 16-16 ofFig. 15.

Fig. 17 shows in top plan view partly in section a slide adjustable on abracelet without slots or recesses and having a fastener elementattachedin a slot thereof.

The two parts a and b of a watch bracelet are arranged withv their endsoverlapping, and the outer part a is attachedv to the inner part b bymeans of a fastener element 0 and is guided in an end loop Qfthe'innerpart b and, if'necessary, 110

- formed. by rolling in the vertical edges of a rectangular plate, andof frame-shaped links 71. connecting the rolled links g. The fastenerelement 0 consists of a fiat sleeve 1 in which a plate 2 is accommodatedand secured in position by the sleeve engaging lateral recesses 2a inthe plate 2. The front edge 3 of the plate 2 is downwardly bent at rightangles to the main portion of the plate and provided on its outer edgeswith under cut notches'4. The plate 2 is split by a single incision 5 inthe front edge 3, this incision extending in the plate 2 to an incisionSo so that on each longitudinal side of the plate 2 a narrow resilientarm 5b and on the rear edge a bridge 50 remain, by which the 'plate 2can be connected to one of the rolled links 9 of the bracelet part a(Figs. 2 and 4). By providing two incisions 5, the aperture can bereduced to a slot 5d (Fig. 5). On the front ends of the side edges ofthe plate 2 presser extensions 6 are arranged which project outwardsthrough apertures 1a in the sleeve 1 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5). i

The fastening plate 2 may be inserted with its downwardly bent frontedge 3 in a gap 2' between two rolled links g and first one catchextension 4 can be brought from the inside under the inner lateral edgeh2' of the aperture M of a frame link h, and, after exerting pressure onthe presser extension 6 on the side which is still free and at the sametime pressing from above, the plate 2 is engaged entirely into thetransverse slot 2', and its other catch extension 4 engages under theother lateral inner edge h2 of the frame link h. The fastener element isheld in this position by the resilient arms 51) of plate 2 in an outwarddirection. By exerting pressure on one of the presser extensions 6 fromthe side and from below, the fastener element can be instantaneouslydisengaged (Figs. 2, 6 and '7).

Instead of employing the plate 2, two spreadable levers 11 may bearranged in the sleeve 1, said levers 11 spreadable. in outwarddirection being mounted together with a V-shaped wire spring 8 on acommon pin 9 (Fig. 3), said levers 11 having downwardly bent front edges3 with outer fastening notches 4 and leave a suificiently wide gap 5between them, to enable the fastening edges 3 to be inserted in one ofthe gaps i in the bracelet part b by exerting pressure on the presserextensions 6. In this form of construction a hinge 1b is formed byrolling on the sleeve 1 for connecting to a frame link h.

In the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 4 the presser extensions6 do not project through apertures 1a in the sleeve 1 but bear againstthe inner side of the continuous sleeve'l. In this instanceithefastening edges 3, after being inserted, can be pressed together byexerting pressure on the free side of the sleeve and brought intoengagement with the bracelet part a and released therefrom in a similarmanner.

Figs. 5, 6 and '1 show a fastening, which has only one presser extension6, but in other respects is exactly like that shown in Fig. 2, exceptthat the plate 2 is provided with two incisions 5.'

As mentioned above in connection with thefastening illustrated in Figs.2 and 4, the fastening can be attached and detached by actuating onlyone .presser extension. Consequently, it suilicesto provide the fastenerplate with a presser extension only on one side edge.

In this instance, the fastener is attached to the bracelet by firstslipping the notch on the side remote from the presser extension 6 underthe lateral edge 71 of the frame link h and,

when pressure is applied to the presser exten-- sion 6, the notch on thesame side of the plate 2 as the presser extension 6 can be inserted inthe gap and when the extension is released, this notch engages under theother lateral edge of the frame link opposite the edge 11. For

disengaging the plate 2. from the frame link,

it is only necessary to grip the sleeve and exert pressure on thepresser extension 6 when the notch adjacent the extension disengagesfrom the frame link so that this sleeve 1 can be lifted on this side,whereupon the notch on the other side of the plate is disengaged fromthe edge h? of the frame link by merely shifting the sleeve laterally. Ia

The fastener according to Figs. 8 to 10 is intended for a bracelet withuniform links. The links 12 are rolled at their rear edge to form ahinge 13 which surrounds a bridge 14 formed on the front edge of thenext following link. In this instance the fastening element consists ofa frame 19 guided in the sleeve 1 and. having a rectangular aperture 15,the front arm 16 of this frame being subdivided by an incision 1'7. Thesleeve 1 engages tightly in recesses 20,

in the longitudinal arms 18, and the frame is provided at both frontcorners with downwardly bent inwardly directed catch extensions 20, theouter edges 21 of which embrace the hinge part 13 of the link 12 andwhich has on one part of the arm 16 a grip extension 6a, by means ofwhich the arms 18 can be pulled apart for the purpose of inserting orremoving the fastener.

Figs. 11 to 16 show two forms of construction of the second innerfastener element f of the bracelet parts a and b. In this instance theplate-shaped fastener element 2 is also arranged in the flat sleeve 1and has a downwardly bent front edge 3 which, in the form ofconstruction illustrated in Figs. 11 to 13, has outwardly directed catchextensions 4 and in the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 14 to16 inwardly directed catch extensions 20 and in the first instanceengages in the gap 2' of a frame link h and in the second instancearound theside edges of a rolled link 9. serted between the end of theinner bracelet This fastener is inpart b and its end loop d. For thispurpose part b and then, by its own end fastening ele-.

ment "c, to the lower bracelet part b so that the bracelet is thuslocked at two points.

Fig. 17 shows the employment of the fastener on a bracelet withoutslots, gaps or the like, forexample on a plaited bracelet. In thisinstance a slide 22, fixable in any suitable manner for example by meansof a clamping lever 24,

is provided which has a transverse slot 23 for inserting the fastener.

I claim:-

1. A fastener for bracelets adjustable in size, comprising incombination a flat continuous sleeve, a fiat fastener element guided insaid sleeve and resilient in width, a downwardly bent front edge on saidelement provided with undercut notches on its side edges, and lateralpresser extensions on said element adapted to compress said element toshift said notches into disengaging position.

2. A fastener as specified in claim 1, in which the fastener elementconsists of a plate rendered resilient in width by incising.

3. A fastener as specified in claim 1, in which the notches are arrangedon the outer side edges of the downwardly bent front edge, said notchesadapted to engage under the lateral inner edges of a transverse slot ofthe bracelet.

4. A fastener as specified in claim 1, in which the presser extensionsbear against the inner side of the continuous sleeve. 7

5. A fastener as specified in claim 1, in which the ends of the braceletoverlap and an outer fastener element is fitted on the end of the outerbracelet part, and a similar fastener element on the end of the innerbracelet part an fixed in the outer bracelet part.

6. A fastener as specified in claim 1, in which the ends of the braceletoverlap and the fastener element is fitted on the inner bracelet partbetween the end of the bracelet and a loop guiding the outer braceletpart, and a hinge is provided on the front edge of the sleeve foraccommodating the loop.

7. A fastener as specified in claim 1, in which the ends of the braceletoverlap and the fastener is connected to the end of the outer braceletpart and engages in a transverse slot in a slide adjustable on the innerpart of the bracelet.

. ROBERT EINSELE.

